Adjustable piano pedal



QAMW

July 16, 1957 Filed /36 INVENTOR.

Hen/ring J. Hansel? United States Patent ADJUSTABLE PLANO PEDAL HenningJ. Hansen, Chicago, Ill.

Application September 2, 1954, Serial No. 453,818

1 Claim. (Cl. 84-229) This invention relates to an adjustable pianopedal and more specifically provides an extension for normal pianopedals thereby permitting children to reach the piano pedals.

An object of this invention is to provide an adjustable piano pedal thatpermits normal use of the piano pedals by adults and provides anextension for use of the piano pedals by children while practicing orplaying.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an adjustablepiano pedal for use with a conventional piano wherein children mayeasily reach the pedals for use thereof.

Yet another important object of the present invention is to provide anadjustable piano pedal that permits children to practice piano with thenormal function of the fortissimo and pianissimo pedals therebypermitting the children to learn the function of these pedals.

A still further important object of the present invention is to providean adjustable piano pedal that is simple in construction, easy toattach, easy to use, well adapted for its intended purposes andrelatively inexpensive to manufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view showing the adjustable piano pedalof the present invention in retracted position for playing of the pianoby adults;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view similar to Figure 1 showing theadjustable piano pedals of the present invention in extended positionthereby permitting the pedals to be actuated by a child or person withshorter legs;

Figure 3 is a detailed elevational view taken substantially uponreference line 33 of Figure 2 showing the positioning of the adjustablepiano pedals;

Figure 4 is a detailed sectional view taken substantially upon a planepassing along section line 4-4 of Figure 3 showing the structuraldetails of the adjustable piano pedal and the resilient spring memberfor retaining the pedal selectively in its extended or retractedposition; and

Figure 5 is a detailed sectional view taken substantially along the sameplane as Figure 4 and showing the piano pedal of the present inventionin retracted position.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, it will be seen that thenumeral generally designates the piano pedals of the present inventionfor use on a conventional piano 12 having a piano bench 14 associatedtherewith and a keyboard area generally designated by the numeral 16wherein a person is usually seated on the piano bench 14 for playing thepiano and actuating the fortissimo and pianissimo pedals. Each of thepedals 10 generally include an elongated bar 18 pivotally mounted onpivot pin 20 in an aperture 22 extending through the front ice wall ofthe piano 12. The bar 18 is pivotally secured to an actuating rod 24 formanipulation of the controls of the pianoand'the other end of the bar 18is positioned exteriorly of the front wall of the piano 12.

Pivotally secured to the outer end of the bar 18 is achannel-shapedmember 26 having a closed end portion 28 and a pivot pin30 extends through the side walls of the channel member 26 and throughthe end of the bar 18 thereby pivotally securing the channel member 26to the bar 18. The other end of the channel member 26 is provided with agenerally rounded projection 32 that extends at right angles to the webportion of the channel shaped member 26. Secured within thechannel-shaped member 26 is a generally bowed fiat spring 34 securedadjacent the open end thereof by a screw member 36. The free end of theresilient member 34 engages the flat end portion 38 of the bar 18 whenthe channel-shaped member 26 and the bar '18 are positioned insubstantially perpendicular position. When the channel-shaped member 26is moved to a position adjacent the upper edge of the bar, the spring 34engages the fiat upper edge of the bar 18 thereby urging thechannel-shaped member 26 and the projection 32 to the retracted positionsubstantially as shown in Figure 5.

As shown in Figures 1 and 5, the channel-shaped member 26 and theprojection 32 are in retracted position with the channel-shaped memberengaging the upper surface of the bar 18 wherein the pedal will beformed by the bight portion of the channel-shaped member 26 and theupward projection 32 will provide a limit means for the positioning of apersons foot thereon. When the channelshaped member 26 is moved to anextended position, the spring 34 engages the outer flat end 38 of therod 18 and retains the channel-shaped member 26 in perpendicularrelation thereto. The forwardly extending projection 32 then forms apedal on its upper surface for engagement by a childs foot therebypermitting actuation of the bar 18 and the control rod 24 by smallchildren during practice on the piano 12. g

The device may be constructed of suitable brass and shaped in anysuitable manner wherein the usual piano pedals will be provided with anextension device for permitting access to the pedals by children.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will bereadily understood and further explanation is believed to theunnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction shown and described, andaccordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resortedto, falling within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

An adjustable piano pedal comprising an elongated bar pivotally mountedon and extending through the front Wall of a piano, said bar having afree end projecting horizontally outwardly from the front wall of apiano with the other free end extending inwardly of the front wall forconnection to a control rod, a channel-shaped member having a closed endand an open end, a transverse pivot pin extending through the legs ofthe channelshaped member and the bar adjacent the free end of the barand the closed end of the channel-shaped member with the legs of thechannel-shaped member straddling the bar, said channel-shaped memberbeing normally disposed in horizontal position with the web thereofoverlying a portion of the bar and forming a foot-engaging surface foroperating the bar, a bowed fiat spring mounted on the inner surface ofthe web of the channel-shaped member adjacent the free end thereof forengaging the flat upper surface of the bar adjacent the pivot pin for aflat vertical surface having a rounded corner with the flat surfaceengaging the inner surface of the closed end of the channel-shapedmember, said channel-shaped member being pivotal about the transversepin to a vertical position with'the uppensurfaceo f the'projec tionbeing horizontally disposed to form a foot-engaging surface spacedvertically above the bar, said flat spring engaging the flat end of thebar when the channel-shaped member is in vertical position therebyreleasably retaining the channel-shaped member in vertical position.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 246,729Germany May 9, 1912 iii

